Help-to-buy scheme overhaul as President addresses housing crisis

The State is set to take an equity stake in people’s homes in an overhaul of the help-to-buy scheme.

A revamp of the scheme is now being considered which would see the lump-sum grant replaced with a State loan to buyers, similar to the British model.

It comes as President Michael D Higgins commented on the homelessness and housing crisis, stating that people are being “deprived of the most basic entitlements that most citizens take so much for granted”.